GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1983 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 844

HOUSE BILL 451

 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF SUMMARIES OF PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Chapter 147 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

"Article 4A.

"Constitutional Amendments Publication

Commission.

"§ 147-54.5. Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission.-(a) There is established within the Department of the Secretary of State the Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission (hereinafter 'Commission').

(b)       The Commission shall consist of three members who shall serve ex officio as follows: The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Legislative Services Officer.

"§ 147-54.6. Officers; meetings; quorum.-(a) The Secretary of State shall be the Chairman of the Commission.

(b)       A quorum shall consist of all three members.

(c)       The Commission shall meet on the call of the Chairman or any two members.

"§ 147-54.7. Powers.-At least 60 days before an election in which a proposed amendment to the Constitution, or a revised or new Constitution, is to be voted on, the Commission shall prepare an explanation of the amendment, revision, or new Constitution in simple and commonly used language.

The summary prepared by the Commission shall be printed by the Secretary of State, in a quantity determined by the Secretary of State. A copy shall be sent along with a news release to each county board of elections, and a copy shall be available to any registered voter or representative of the print or broadcast media making request to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may make copies available in such additional manner as he may determine."

Sec. 2.  Nothing contained in this act shall affect the validity of the voting on any proposed constitutional amendment, including the exercise of any powers by the Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission.

Sec. 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Secretary of State for fiscal year 1983-84 the sum of five thousand five hundred seventy dollars ($5,570) to implement this act.

Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 20th day of July, 1983.